To investigate the characteristics of vena cava connection in patients with asplenia syndrome diagnosed by ultrasound.

From October 2009 to February 2014, 49 patients with asplenia syndrome diagnosed in Fuwai Hospital by ultrasound were included in this study. The characteristics and percentage of varied types of anomalous connection of vena cava and pulmonary vena were analyzed.

Thirty patients (61.2%) had bilateral superior vena cavies. In these cases, right vena cava was drainage into right atrium (or the right side of the single atrium), while left superior vena cava into left atrium (or the left side of the single atrium). For hepatic vein, drainage into inferior vena cava were found in 25 patients (53.2%), into left atrium (or the left single of the single atrium) in 1 patient (2.1%), into right atrium (or the right side of the single atrium) in 3 patients (6.3%), into both right and left atrium in 5 patients (10.2%) and into the middle of the single atrium in 1 patient (2.1%). For inferior vena cava, drainage into left atrium (or left side of the single atrium) were found in18 patients (36.2%), into right atrium (or right side of the single atrium) in 24 patients (51.1%) and into the middle of the single atrium in 1patient (2%). Total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage occurred in 20 patients (40.2%) and partially anomalous pulmonary venous drainage in 8 patients (16.3%).

Asplenia syndrome is frequently accompanied with anomalous vena cava and pulmonary venous drainage.